Jim x Sinbad - the Captain and the Cabin Boy
by asgardiandetective
Summary: In which Jim ends up working on Sinbad's ship, and is not all too fond of the captain. - (purely written because there just needs to be more fics about this pairing, i mean really.) multichapter, eventual slash (if i have time to write more chapters)- rating subject to change. :D
1. Chapter 1 - Welcome aboard

"'_The Chimera_', huh?" Jim read the side of the relatively small but impressive boat from where he stood on the docks, "…Cool."

How he'd ended up travelling on the unusual looking ship in the first place, he still wasn't sure. Dr Doppler had said something about "doing some good honest work" and "better than causing trouble at the Benbow during summer break" – but Jim hadn't really been listening. He'd been distracted wondering what kind of people these sailors the Doctor had decided to send him off with were. Since both Doppler and his mother had given them the ok, he had come to the conclusion that they must, in fact, be pretty dull. The teen had only really agreed to go for the sake of getting away from the Benbow for a while. Although; these sailors had agreed to let him take his solar surfer along, so they couldn't be all bad. (Well, that, or the Doctor really hadn't told them that much about Jim.)

As Jim stepped onto the deck he looked around him in awe; the _Chimera _looked even better from on board. He took it all in; the blood red sails, the detailed woodwork, and, was that a _person_ swinging from the rigging-?

"Oof!" distracted, he walked right into what appeared to be a mountain. Upon closer inspection, he realised it was in fact a person. A very tall and mountain-like person who was lacking a shirt, but a person nonetheless, "Whoa, sorry – didn't see you there." Jim blurted out, thinking – given the size of the man – just how stupid that was.

The man laughed with a deep voice, turning to face Jim properly.

"You must be the new guy."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Just a bit." The larger man grinned, "What's your name?"

"Jim Hawkins." Jim stated simply, shrugging his bag further onto his shoulder. He was nothing if not antisocial.

"Cale." The man – Cale – held his hand out to Jim, "Welcome aboard the _Chimera_, Jim Hawkins."

"Thanks." The teen replied, hesitantly reaching out to shake the offered hand. By the looks of things, these sailors were way cooler than he'd been led to believe.

"Heh. Might want to save that thanks for after we've set sail. Come on."

Confused, Jim followed after Cale to where the rest of the crew were lining up in the middle of the deck, "…Aye Aye captain."

Cale gave Jim an amused glance, "Oh, I'm not the captain."

"What-?"

But before Jim could ask what the hell kind of person could have someone as strong-looking as Cale working for them and not the other way around – the door to the captain's cabin burst open.

"Good morning gentlemen!"

Jim looked along the long row of people to where a man clad in red was strolling casually across the deck.

"You men had better be ready, because we've got one hell of a trip ahead of us!" He asserted, grinning as he wandered past crewmates who nodded the affirmative, "Cale!" He spun to look at the tattooed man, "I trust everything is ship-shape as ever?"

"As ever, Captain."

"Ah, where would I be without you?"

"Probably still stuck on that island in Tahiti," Cale flashed a grin of his own at the dark-haired man as he gave his sarcastic reply.

"Oh Ha-Ha. You know- " the captain stopped mid-comeback as he noticed Jim standing next to Cale. Putting his hand on his chin thoughtfully, he looked him up and down for a moment, previous conversation forgotten, "and you must be the new cabin boy. You're scrawnier than I was expecting."

Jim was taken aback, "Cabin boy? But, I thought, I mean, I wasn't told – what the hell do you mean scrawny-?!"

"Oh well, you'll have to do," the captain stated dismissively, turning from an enraged Jim to face the rest of the crew; "At your stations men! Let's roll!" he commanded, heading for the front of the boat.

At once, everyone on board noisily set to work launching the ship; some speeding to handle the sails, others the mechanisms and machinery, and Cale smiling exasperatedly at the captain as Jim followed him to the wheel.

"Hey, hold on, answer me!" The brown-haired boy shouted above the clamour, reaching up to grab the captain's shoulder for him to face him, "what do you mean cabin boy?"

The captain shrugged Jim's hand off, putting his hands up innocently as the ships crimson solar sails flared brightly above them, "Why the confusion, that was the deal we set up!"

Jim narrowed his eyes up at him angrily, "no, I was told I was gonna be, and I quote: 'helping out on the deck of a merchant ship!'"

The dark-haired man stopped, before looking at Jim and smirking, the ship beginning to rise into the etherium sky, "…Say, you got a name, or shall I just call you cabin boy?"

Jim glanced at the port as it slowly got further away, _'too late to get off now' _he thought; "Jim Hawkins. You got a name or should I just call you obnoxious?" he answered challengingly.

"The name's Sinbad, but you can call me Captain." Sinbad replied, "And let me tell you something Jim," he continued, putting his arm around Jim's shoulders in a show of mock-friendship, "If you were told, 'and-I-quote' that you were gonna be helping out on the deck of a merchant ship, then you were _extremely_ misinformed."

"What-?" Jim glanced up at him as he tried to shove his arm off.

"Rat!" Sinbad called out, looking above them at the man Jim had seen earlier, who had gone back to swinging from the rigging, "Hoist our colours!"

"Yes Cap'tin!" the man mock-saluted before clambering towards the crow's nest.

"Colours-?" Jim looked up in confusion to the crow's nest, where a flag was being raised. His eyes widened.'_No way…'_

The captain looked at Jim's shocked expression, a fresh grin on his face, "I don't know if Cale said this already, but…"

Jim stared at the crest on the flag, mind running in a million directions. '_This is…'_

"Welcome aboard the _Chimera_, Jim Hawkins."

'_A pirate ship!?'_

A/N: So it begins! more slashyness and adventure to come in later chapters :D also, this is my first fic so it'd be great to hear any comments you might have about it (^w^)


	2. Chapter 2 - Argument

Pirates.

They were pirates.

And Jim was stuck with them. Stuck _working_ for them.

…His mom was gonna kill him. Or Doctor Doppler. Or the pirates. Or whoever she deemed most responsible for her son being in such a completely, irresponsibly, dangerously ridiculous situation.

…She'd probably kill all of them. The pirates, then him, then Doctor Doppler. (he was an old family friend after all, it was only polite to save him for last). Seriously, how had the doctor even gotten him stuck here anyway? Jim knew the doctor tended to get 'flustered' – as he put it – when making deals with people, but he was supposed to be smart, how could he not have realised the people he was making deals with were bloody pirates!?

Jim began to ponder ways out. He could always sneak into the storage bay, hop on his solar surfer and sail away; but Montressor was already too far away to see – '_Note to self, this ship is crazy fast_' - and he had no idea where the next inhabited planet was.

"Why the long face, Hawkins?"

Ah yes, as if this situation wasn't bad enough, he had to be stuck with this guy. Sinbad – what kind of a name is that anyway? - The captain of this ship (a fact which had surprised Jim, even without the whole pirate thing thrown in) and a man who certainly knew how to rub people up the wrong way.

"Shut up." Jim muttered angrily, shoving away from the older man.

"Hey! Is that any way to speak to your superior officer?" Sinbad replied, continuing to invade Jim's personal space with that stupid grin of his.

"Superior officer!? You're not my superior, you're not even an officer – you're a pirate! And a kidnapper!" Jim bit back, pointing an accusing finger at the man in question.

"Now that's just rude. And what do you mean kidnapper?! It's hardly my fault that you came aboard! Or that that Doctor friend of yours accepted our oh-so-generous offer of letting you work here in the first place!"

"Oh yeah? And who exactly was it that told the doctor that this was a – how did he put it? – 'fine upstanding merchant ship'? Forgive me, but it doesn't sound like you were being entirely honest when you made this 'oh-so-generous offer'." Jim replied sarcastically, narrowing his eyes at the captain.

"Hey, in my defence, I wasn't lying. This really is a merchant ship. …It's just that we never used it as such after we… 'acquisitioned' it."

"You mean 'stole'."

"Ah, same difference."

"Not really."

"Well either way, it's still a fine upstanding ship, that's for sure." Sinbad stated cheerily.

"Oh yeah, the ship's great," the younger of the two agreed; earning a proud, if somewhat surprised look from Sinbad, "It's more the people on board it that I'm worried about." The captain's face fell.

"My my, must you be so mistrusting!?" He cried, feigning hurt. Glancing quickly past his verbal sparring partner, he realised that their little argument had gathered something of an audience. Some of his crew slowing in their duties, their eyes trained on them. Honestly, what did they think this was; a show? He didn't pay them to stand around. (Not that he paid them much anyway, but still.) …Although, if they wanted a show, he may as well give them one. The journey would just be dull otherwise.

Straightening up, he looked back to Jim and continued, "Besides, whether you like it or not; you're here now. Nothing you can do about that." he shrugged dramatically, "So you may as well do a good job...unless you want to be thrown overboard." He was joking of course, but he said it with enough careful seriousness in his tone that Jim bit back his sarcastic reply, opting instead for a silent glare. '_Oh, so he does know how to shut up after all,_' Sinbad thought to himself, amused by the boy's sudden silence.

"Right then!" the captain clapped his hands together, "Now that that's out of the way, how about a tour?" he asked, with a gleam in his eye that made Jim take a step back, wary.

"…Whatever," the teen shrugged disinterestedly. '_Hopefully that tour includes wherever my solar surfer is, I don't care if I've got no idea which way Montressor is, I'm—' _ Jim's train of thought was suddenly derailed as he found himself being thrown unceremoniously over the captain's shoulder, "AH-?!"

"Now, down here is the main deck – Rat pick up that rope! – Whoa-!" Sinbad shoved Jim higher on his shoulder so that his kicks and punches were less effective, and began detailing information about the ship as easily as if he wasn't carrying an angry, thrashing teenager who was making it very difficult to keep a hold of him. The crew descended into laughter as the feuding pair passed them, both Jim's curses and his face growing more and more colourful with each step.

Sinbad took their 'tour' below deck, leaving a trail of giggling pirates in their wake, and simultaneously confusing and thoroughly entertaining a number of others as he made his way to their destination.

"And back there's the crew's quarters-" the older man continued.

"For the love of— put me down already!" Jim barked, slamming his fist (once again) into the captain's back.

"Oof-! Hey, would you cut that out!

"I would if you'd let go of me!"

"Yeah yeah, just a second – aha!" Sinbad exclaimed triumphantly, kicking open the door to wherever he'd been taking Jim to, "And this-", he said, tossing the brown-haired teen into the room "Is the galley, I hope you like it because it's where you'll be for most of the voyage." With that, he quickly shut the door, a lock sliding into place as he did so.

"What- Hey!" Jim scrambled to his feet and made for the door, trying the handle. No luck. He glared at Sinbad through the door's small window, "Hey! Let me out of here!"

"Whoa, calm down Hawkins. Don't worry; I'll let you out when you're done."

"Done with what?" Jim eyed him suspiciously. Unfazed, the captain pointed to a pile of dishes that was bigger than Jim himself.

"If I were you, I'd get busy." He smirked, twirling what must have been the key to the galley between his fingers before wandering off down the hallway.

Jim stared after him in disbelief. Huffing out a breath, he punched the door in frustration. He glanced at the pile of dishes before rolling his eyes.

_'…This is gonna be one hell of a summer.'_

_A/N: so i'm basically ignoring the plot of the movies in this story, and just using scenes from them but adjusted to suit the fic - (hence why sinbad ended up carrying jim like he did to marina when she first got aboard in the actual movie XD)_

_ also, i'm still debating wether or not to include Silver in the story - i decided against it for now, but who knows what later chapters might bring XD)_

_ It's nice to see that people are actually reading this - actually, it was quite a surprise to be honest - but i hope you enjoy the story as it goes on ^w^ (and any comments you might have would be great to hear :D)_

_okay, i'm gonna stop rambling now. see you next chapter! (hopefully XD)_


	3. Chapter 3 - Hard Work

Wandering back onto the deck with his casual demeanour already back in place, Sinbad headed for the helm, where Kale had dutifully taken the wheel during his captain's argument with the cabin boy.

"You just can't help yourself can you?" the larger of the two asked good humouredly, moving away from the wheel to let Sinbad steer again.

"I don't know what you mean," the red-clad captain replied in mock-innocence.

"Oh really?" Kale smirked, crossing his arms over his broad chest, and gave Sinbad his best 'come-on-i-know-you-way-better-than-that' look. Sinbad just shrugged, turning the wheel a fraction.

"What? You know I always mess with the new guys – it's practically tradition. It's his own fault for getting worked up so easily."

"Well, as glad as I am that you've found someone to annoy who isn't me, do try to go easy on him." the first mate replied incredulously.

"Honestly Kale, you make me sound like some kind of slavedriver. I'm hurt."

"Okay then, prove me wrong. What exactly did you set Hawkins as his _first job_ on our 'fine upstanding ship', captain?" Kale asked, putting emphasis on certain words in an attempt to give Sinbad as much guilt as he could.

Sinbad paused before answering, looking strikingly similar to a child who had been caught doing something they shouldn't, "Nothing much, just cleaning all the dishes in the galley."

"Sinbad!"

"Kale!" the captain mimicked, "oh, don't make that face; you're my first mate, my right hand man - You're supposed to take my side."

"I think my main priority right now is making sure you don't bully any of your men." The tattooed man scolded.

"Must you be such a killjoy?" Sinbad pouted.

"Must you be such a child?" Kale chuckled, beginning to walk down the stairs from the helm to resume his duties on deck as his captain glared after him, knowing that his first mate had won this argument, "Oh by the way," Kale added, nonchalantly kicking the laser cannon in his path, in turn easily shooting down a passing piece of space debris that would otherwise have hit them, "keep your eyes on the road."

Sinbad stared after him, mouth agape, before putting his chin on his hand and leaning on the steering wheel and indignantly muttering to himself; "…Show off."

* * *

><p>Getting more and more frustrated by the second, Jim gave the door another solid punch before turning away from it to face the task before him.<p>

"Who the hell does that guy think he is? I don't care if he's a pirate, If he thinks he can push me around then he's got another thing coming." He muttered, glaring at the pile of dishes.

"My, them's mighty fierce words for such a little boy." Jim nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of the voice coming from the shadows at the other end of the room. There had been another person here? He backed up a step cautiously, focusing his glare on the newly noticed shape of the other presence in the room, "whoa, no need to make such a scary face laddie, I'm nothin' ta fear, just a humble cook." the man stated with a thick accent, stepping towards Jim and into the light with a theatrical bow.

Jim's eyes widened as he realised that the large man talking to him wasn't entirely man; with a leg, arm and eye composed of machinery. He'd never seen a cyborg before, not in person. The man stood to his full height and cast his robotic eye over the teen expectantly. Jim remained silent, continuing to glare.

"…Not much of a talker, eh?" The man said slowly, rubbing his chin with his organic hand, "well, at the very least we should introduce ourselves, since it seems we'll be working together for the duration of this voyage!" he held his mechanical arm out to Jim, "ye can call me Silver."

Jim eyed the hand warily, but did not take it, "…Jim."

Retracting his arm awkwardly, Silver turned to start cooking…something - Jim had no idea what - his arm switching rapidly to become various different blades and utensils.

"Well Jimbo," he began merrily.

"It's _Jim_."

Silver cast him a glance, unfazed, "If ye know what's good for ye Jim me boy, ye'll be getting' to work on them dishes." He nodded his head towards the stacks to illustrate his point.

"What?!" Jim retorted, crossing his arms, "Why should I do anything that obnoxious pirate orders me to?"

"Now now; I'll not hear a bad word said about the cap'n." Silver scolded, not looking away from his work, "He may be a little hot headed at times, but he's a man of his word to be sure. Ye'll be out once yer job's done, just like he said." The cyborg held up a key that was hanging around his neck, matching the one Sinbad had been holding earlier.

Jim stared at the cyborg incredulously for a moment, unsure whether to trust what he was being told. He the decided he didn't really have any other option. Even though this guy had another key, Jim had no chance of taking him down by himself.

After another moment of pondering his few other options and discarding them as futile, he rolled up his sleeves and reluctantly grabbed the apron hanging by the sink.

The sooner he got all this cleaned up the sooner he'd have a chance of getting out of here, he figured; provided that Silver was right about the captain being a man of his word.

'_Still…_' he gave the massive pile of dishes before him another look over, before dragging a stool over to sit next to it, '_This is not gonna be fun._'

* * *

><p>It was always hard to keep track of time when sailing through the etherium, as it was always dark, lit only by the stars and drifting bands of colour that were spattered throughout it. Casting his eyes over the nearby clock however, Sinbad could tell that it was approaching evening - a number of hours having passed since little encounter with the new cabin boy - and he was still stood at the helm, occasionally glancing at the ships compass as he steered the way.<p>

'_Here's hoping Silver has been keeping that kid in check,_' the captain thought to himself. He hopped down from the helm as he called out to his first mate on the other side of the deck, "Kale! Take the wheel for a while."

"Getting lazy Captain?" the man in question joked as he passed him.

"Nope, just going to check if our new cabin boy has broken anything yet," the dark-haired man replied with a grin, heading for door which led below deck.

"_Sinbad_." Kale said warningly.

"Oh quit your worrying mother hen, I'll be nice." The captain reassured him, casting him a look that screamed 'kale-would-you-stop-acting-like-you're-my-conscience-for-two-minutes?'.

"…Now why do I find that hard to believe?" Kale pondered sarcastically, taking the wheel as Sinbad waved his comment off and disappeared below deck.

* * *

><p>As he unlocked the door to the galley, Sinbad readied himself incase Hawkins decided to try to ambush him upon his entry. What he encountered as he stepped into the room however, was not something he had been expecting.<p>

The stack of dirty dishes was now completely spotless, a large portion of them having been moved to the floor around where the cabin boy was perched on a stool, still leaning on a large pot, fast asleep.

To be frank, Sinbad didn't really know what to make of it.

"He's a good lad ye know Cap'n." Silver said quietly, making the captain jump slightly in surprise. For such a large man, Silver really knew how to sneak up on people. "Not much of a talker mind ye, but a hard worker to be sure."

Sinbad looked at Silver before returning his gaze to Jim, who was still snoring lightly, "Well what do you know," he smirked in surprise.

The cyborg stared at the red-clad man for a moment, before nudging him and saying, "I'll tell you somethin' Cap'n. In all me years of sailing, I've learnt not to judge people by yer first meetin'. Especially if the meetin' in question is as... lively as yours an' Jimbo's seems to have been." He gave him a toothy grin before continuing, "Now, if ye'd be so kind as to permit me a quick jaunt above deck for a bit Cap'n?"

"Yes – Yeah, of course. Keep up the good work Silver." Sinbad said quickly, stepping out of the Cook's way.

"Thank ye Cap'n" Silver tipped his hat, limping nimbly down the corridor.

Sinbad waited until the Cyborg was out of sight before turning back to face the scene in the galley. Looking from the mountain of clean dishes to the sleeping teen once more, he let out an amused sigh.

"I've gotta hand it to you Hawkins, you've done a fine job," he muttered quietly, crossing the room to reach for one of the many cabinets. Pulling out a blanket, he swiftly draped it over the boy – as much as he had gotten on his nerves earlier, he had earned a good rest - and with one last approving look at Jim's hard work, made his way out of the galley.

Unbeknownst to the captain however, his actions had woken the teen. Confused by the sudden appearance of a blanket over him, the cabin boy had looked blearily to the door, where he glimpsed a flash of the unmistakable crimson of the captain's clothes as he exited the room.

A/N: dawwww these two i swear. (w) Also - i decided to include Silver! (yayy) Autocorrect hates the way i write his accent XD Also - Kale is the king of cool. that is all. XD

Hope you look forward to the next chapter - any comments/reviews/whatever would still be great to hear! (^w^)


	4. Chapter 4 - Getting Along

Chapter 4: Getting Along

Jim stared at the doorway, not moving, until the sound of the captain's footsteps disappeared down the corridor. Although the man had left the door open, a part of the teen's brain expected Silver to swoop in, lock it again and tell him to "get back te work laddie". A quick glance around told him that this wouldn't be happening any time soon however, as the cyborg was nowhere to be seen. (A more scrupulous look at the room's shadowy corners confirmed that the Cyborg wasn't hiding in them again either.)

He got up steadily, slowly placing the blanket Sinbad had put over him down – _'god knows why he bothered trying to pull the nice guy act like that at this point' _– and headed for the door. As he passed the counter, a dull glint caught his eye. Looking down, he saw a small knife – still clean, and sharp, due to Silver's lack of need for such cooking tools. After a pause, he quickly picked it up and tucked it, hidden, into his belt.

"…_I am dealing with pirates here after all,"_ he thought as he walked down the hallway, a determined look on his face as he began his search for wherever his solar surfer was being kept.

* * *

><p>"A fine night for sailin' wouldn'cha agree Mr Kale?" Silver greeted cheerily as he limped towards the first mate.<p>

"Indeed it is Mr Silver, which makes it all the more understandable that you've been up here so long," Kale replied coolly, having noted that the cyborg had been wandering around on deck for the past half hour.

"Ah, you wouldn't deprive an old sailor of some fresh air now would ye'?" the cook chided.

"Of course not," the taller of the two replied nonchalantly, "I can only wonder whether too much fresh air would leave you without enough time to complete your duties for the day,"

"Why, I can't believe you'd ever t'ink such a thing Mr Kale. I always complete my duties on board this ship te the letter!" Silver feigned hurt, "besides, now that ye've finally bothered te hire a decent cabin boy, the weight of me workload has been lightened a fair bit." he smiled, showing his teeth.

"Oh, and how is Hawkins doing? I tried asking Sinbad but he just told me to 'stop fussing and get back to work'," the tattooed man gave an exasperated look at his captain, who had taken back the wheel a few minutes after Silver had come onto the deck, and was completely ignorant to their conversation.

"Ah, he's as hard working as he is stubborn, that's fer sure," the cook chuckled.

"Heh, sounds just like the captain."

"Aye, it does doesn't it?" both of them were looking contemplatively at the captain now, weighing up the similarities between him and the cabin boy. The captain's eyes snapped away from the compass and flickered to them, but not in anger.

"Kale!"

A fierce impact sent the ship reeling through the etherium.

* * *

><p>The <em>Chimera<em> was definitely bigger than Jim had first thought.

He'd been looking for the storage bay – where he'd assumed his solar surfer was being kept – for the past half hour, and he still hadn't found it. Admittedly, he was delayed by the fact that he'd had to hide whenever he'd heard one of the crew coming closer so he wouldn't be caught trying to escape, but that didn't change the fact that this ship was really way too difficult to figure out.

And it certainly didn't help that Sinbad's so-called-'tour' had been less than thorough in it's explanation of the _Chimera's_ layout. Jim's face reddened at the thought.

'_Damn pirate, did he have to freaking embarrass me like that in front of the whole crew?!… well, he won't be the one laughing when I sail outta here—'_

The ship lurched violently, sending Jim sprawling to the floor.

After a moment's shock, he groaned before regaining his balance and clambering to his feet, sprinting along what he hoped was the route back to the deck.

'_This is just not my day.'_

* * *

><p>Sinbad had seen it coming a moment too late. Of course he had, that was how these things worked after all.<p>

It still pissed him off though.

Especially when he saw the wood of his ship blasted away by the force of the blow as he clutched on to the wheel, struggling to stay standing after the impact.

"Kale!" he called out again, a fraction angrier than before, as their assailant began to appear before them, "Take the wheel!" he ordered, leaping over the railing of the helm and onto the deck below.

"Aye Captain!" Kale dashed to where Sinbad had just been, ignoring the ship's heavy rocking and trying to get the ship back on course.

"All hands on deck, now!" Sinbad shouted, calling his crew to action as he dashed to the centre of the deck, "We've got a Sky Kraken on our hands!"

* * *

><p>Jim burst through the doors that led to the deck just as a massive beast finished materialising around the <em>Chimera.<em> It looked like some kind of octopus, but with a leaner face and sharper teeth, and was of enough size to engulf the large ship with its slimy tentacles. The teen gaped at it as the pirate crew barrelled past him, aiding each other in their efforts to ward the creature off.

"Laser cannons fire at will! Everyone with a sword deal with these tentacles now! Rat for the love of god this is_ not_ the time to be swinging around up there!" Jim's eyes turned to the direction the commanding voice was coming from, and saw the captain standing in the midst of the chaos, unfazed and completely different from the nonchalant figure he'd first appeared to be.

Still in shock, it took Jim a moment before his mouth caught up with his brain, "What the hell is that thing!?" he called out over the clamour.

"Hawkins? What are you doing?! Get below deck!" Sinbad shouted, surprised.

"Like hell I will! Just answer me!" Jim shot back, heading over to the older man.

'_Jeez, even in a situation like this he's a stubborn brat,' _the captain thought, "If you must know, it's a Sky Kraken - giant boat-eating space monster. What, you don't have those on Montressor?"

"A giant boat-eating space monster?" Jim repeated in disbelief, "And you just sailed right into it?!"

"Hey it's got really good camouflage! Like, _invisible_-level good! No-one's ever spotted one of them before an attack-"

"Sinbad!" The first mate's voice broke through their argument. Looking up, the captain saw the reason for the warning.

"Look out!" The red-clad man grabbed the younger boy and pushed him to the floor with him, dodging the tentacle that slammed down where they had been standing moments before.

"Ugh…no-one's ever spotted one of them before an attack, huh?" the teen muttered from underneath Sinbad.

"Technically, that was mid-attack," untangling himself from the cabin boy and nimbly getting back to his feet, the captain turned to his men and shouted, "What did I say about the tentacles, guys!? Unless you've forgotten how to use a sword then get busy already!" a number of crewmen nodded guiltily and hurried to work as the ship tilted again, "Tch," Sinbad turned to face Jim again, "Now, as much as I love our little talks Hawkins, I've got more pressing matters to attend to. Get below deck, and that's an order - you'll just get in the way otherwise."

Getting hurriedly up from where he had been thrown to the floor, Jim glared at the pirate before looking up to where the Sky Kraken was currently roaring at a number of the crew, its pupils narrowing to slits as it struck out at the men below it once more.

"The cannons aren't working captain!"

Jim's eyes widened a fraction as his gaze switched from the enraged monster – which was seemingly impervious to the laser blasts being fired at it - to the rigging and sails above it's head, calculating the different options in his mind.

"Hawkins, I said get below deck! Now!" Sinbad ordered, snapping Jim out of his thoughts. The teen glared at him for a moment before dashing towards the rigging, "Hawkins!"

"Tell the crew to keep it distracted over there, then when I give the word, cut those ropes!" Jim shouted, starting to climb the ropes as he pointed towards one of the highest sections of rigging on the sails the other side of the creature's head, "and that's an order, _Captain_!"

"Wha-?" Sinbad was taken aback, but then looked at where the cabin boy had been staring previously, catching on to his idea, "oh…oh! Nice thinking Hawkins! But, I'm the one who gives the orders around here." He laughed, earning a roll of the eyes from Jim and running past the crewmen still dealing with the beast's attacks, "Keep up the good work men!" he called, earning confused looks from his crew as he sped towards the rigging.

Jim scrambled higher up the ropes, fighting against the rocking of the ship, noting that - despite his headstart - the captain had already almost reached his level on the opposite side of the ship, climbing as easily as though the vessel wasn't being buffeted around by a giant space-monster.

As the two reached their goals at the top of their respective masts, they each grabbed the ropes they had been aiming for and cut the first of them forcefully in two, Sinbad with his cutlass and Jim with his borrowed kitchen knife.

The teen's stomach lurched as the mast he was precariously balanced on spun in tandem with Sinbad's opposite, the two aiming themselves at the head of the Kraken. With a quick glance at each other and a cooperative nod, the duo slashed through their second ropes, holding on to what was left of them and swinging out of the way as the wooden spikes of the mast succumbed to the ship's artificial gravity and stabbed through the creature's head, ending its movement.

Out of breath and after a moment of staring at the carnage below, the pair manoeuvred their way back down to the deck to the sound of the crew's cheers. Crossing to the middle of the deck, Jim found himself facing the captain as he had when he first came aboard the ship - but instead of dismissiveness and sarcastic comments, he was met with a strong hand on his shoulder and a genuine, if only small, grin.

"Nice work Hawkins."

"You weren't so bad yourself, Captain." Jim shrugged with a grin to match the older man's.

"Oh, how I wish that you were that charming all the time," Sinbad replied, nonchalant demeanour firmly back in place as he turned to head over to the carcass of the beast, where the majority of crew were still cheering, "Men! You mind saving your celebrations until _after_ we get my masts out of that thing's eye sockets?"

The teen watched with an exasperated smirk as the dark-haired man set about ordering his complaining crew to work handling the removal of the beast from the deck.

"Now what's this me old eyes see? Are ye's two actually gettin' along?" the heavy accent alerted Jim to the cook's appearance behind him.

"Those old eyes of yours must be playing tricks on you Silver." Jim replied, turning to face him as he heard the '_schluck' _of the masts being removed from the monster's body.

"Is that so?" the cyborg chuckled, bringing his pipe to his mouth.

"Alright men, on the count of three!" Jim glanced over his shoulder to where Sinbad was directing the crew to shove the creature off the ship – a task apparently manageable by hand as the main bulk of it's body was already dangling off the boat, only it's face and a few tentacles left clinging to the deck.

"One-!" The men readied themselves to remove the slime-covered monster.

"Two-!" A movement caught Jim's eye.

"Three-!" The men pushed.

"Captain!" Jim called out as one of the tentacles wrapped around Sinbad's leg, the Kraken dragging him overboard as it let out a dying roar.


	5. Chapter 5 - Deal

(sorry it took so long to update - been ridiculously busy lately - anyway, enjoy~! (^w^)/

Chapter 5: Deal

The last thing Sinbad heard before getting dragged into the etherium was Hawkins' voice calling out in warning.

'_Well, at least someone was paying attention,' _Sinbad thought to himself in annoyance as he tore his eyes from the _Chimera_, which was quickly getting too far away for comfort, and set about trying to untangle himself from the appendage which kept him from escaping the Kraken's clutches.

"Damn it," he muttered, trying and failing to get any leverage on the slimy tentacle of the beast, despite his efforts. He cast a slightly panicked glance back at the rapidly disappearing form of his ship before returning to his task with noticeably more urgency – until a noise met his ears which froze him in his tracks. Barely noticeable, and seeming to come from every direction.

A laugh.

The pirate gasped as the etherium swirled around him, engulfing him in colour and smoke as it pulled him from the Kraken's grasp and blocked his vision. A sudden gravity replaced his previous weightlessness, and he fell gracelessly to the floor which had materialised below him. Springing to his feet, he waved the remnants of etherium smoke from around him in an attempt to see where he was.

What met his eyes was what appeared to be some kind of hall, the walls of which made up a moving star chart, mapping out every galaxy and star Sinbad had ever known, and many more that he didn't. The constellations flickered and shone over the dark smoke of their backdrop as he stepped forward, spinning slightly to take it all in.

"Like what you see Captain?" A smooth voice met his ears, making him jump before turning rapidly to face the direction it had come from – finding no one there.

"Now now Sinbad, there's no need to be afraid," the voice spoke again, this time from right next to him, accompanied by a pale hand which caressed his face as it's owner walked around him and came into view.

"How you know my name?" the captain asked, standing strong despite his instincts telling him to get the hell away from figure before him, "Who are you?"

"Oh I know many things about you Sinbad," the figure – a slim woman with dark hair who seemed to be more smoke than person – chuckled as she drew her hand back from the man's confused face, "my name is Eris. And I have a proposition for you."

* * *

><p>'<em>Dammit!<em>' - the word was the only thing Jim could think as he watched the captain get pulled overboard, as he ran to the edge of the deck and as he watched the body of the sky kraken drifting – with Sinbad in tow - in completely the opposite direction that the Chimera was speeding off in.

"Sinbad!"

"The Captain's gone overboard!"

"Kale! Turn this thing around!"

"I'm trying, but that stunt with the masts left us in bad shape!"

"Man the lifeboats!"

'_Dammit. Dammit! Dammit!'_ Jim's head spun over the clamour of the crew's panic, trying to figure out the best course of action. Making sure to note which direction the kraken had floated in in relation to the ship, he sped back towards the main deck.

"Silver!" He shouted over the chaos, running over to the cyborg.

"Jimbo, wha-"

"Where's the storage bay!?" Jim asked, cutting him off.

"Wha' does that matter at a time like this?" The cook replied, taken aback by the question.

"Just hurry up and show me already!" the teen demanded, shoving the cook urgently towards the doors that led below deck.

"Aye aye laddie, keep yer hair on," Silver complied with confusion, navigating the corridors of the ship with speed impressive for someone with a robotic leg, the boy right behind him the whole way.

The noise from the deck could still be heard loud and clear when they reached the storage bay, but Jim barely noticed – he had his target in his sights. Pulling the heavy equipment out from the stacks of supplies, he set it on the ground in front of the doors in the floor before turning to Silver.

"Alright, how do we open these doors?"

"Woah woah, what're ye doin' Jimbo? The crew -"

"Aren't gonna get those lifeboats ready before we lose sight of the captain - and even if they_ do_, they aren't gonna be fast enough to _reach_ him before he goes out of sight anyway! _This_ on the other hand," Jim stomped on the switch at the back of the board he'd put on the floor to illustrate his point, causing the brightly charged sail of his solar surfer to stand to attention, "will be plenty fast enough."

"…...Arharhar! Oh, yer a wild one Jimbo, that's fer sure," the cyborg laughed heartily, hobbling over to the opposite side of the doors before hitting a button on the wall, making the bay doors start to open, "an' if I might say so, that looks like a mighty fine solar surfer ye've got there too," he said, tipping his hat with a bow as Jim stepped onto the board.

"…Thanks," Jim replied, tipping his board forward so that it fell through the open bay doors. He waited until he was completely out of the ship before setting his foot harshly onto the pedal at the back, kicking the engine into gear.

'_That pirate…_' he thought, angling the solar sail towards where the kraken had dragged the captain, '_…had better be freaking grateful for this._'

The surfer's jets sparked into life, sending Jim rocketing through the etherium.

* * *

><p>"The Book of Peace? That's one of the most priceless treasures in the galaxy - what do you want it for?"<p>

"That's no concern of yours Sinbad, all you need to think about is how you'll be getting it for me." Eris said coolly, circling around Sinbad once more.

"Oh yeah? Give me one good reason why I should do anything for you." The Pirate scoffed. Honestly – they'd just met and this woman was basically asking him to risk his life for her. Sure, from what he could tell she'd kind of saved him from floating through space with the Sky Kraken – somehow – but she could at least buy him a drink first.

"If you do this one little thing for me Sinbad," She stood in front of him, looking him straight in the eyes, "I will give you anything you desire; power, fame …riches beyond even your wildest dreams."

Okay, forget the drink, this sounded much more interesting.

"Is that so? And just where are these riches of yours – I mean, no offence but this place hardly screams "wealthy". "Creepy", yes, but not wealthy." He gestured nonchalantly at the empty hall.

"…You're lucky you're cute, or I wouldn't be this patient with you." The pirate's eyebrows raised in amusement at her comment.

'_Still got it_.' He thought.

"In any case," Eris continued, "creating riches out of thin air is child's play for a goddess."

'…_What_.'

"Um…Care to run that by me again?" the man asked in disbelief.

"What's the matter Sinbad? Not a man of God?"

"Not exactly."

"Then let me educate you," The woman – _goddess - _stated, disappearing in a swirl of dark smoke, materialising again behind Sinbad, "Once a Goddess makes a promise, it cannot be broken." The man jumped, turning to face her.

"You-"

"You have my word, Sinbad," Eris interrupted, "that should you bring me the Book of Peace, you shall have whatever you wish."

The pirate contemplated this for a moment, "…Cross your heart?" he joked, grinning. The goddess sighed before drawing a cross over her chest with her finger, leaving a mark glowing briefly in its wake before dissipating.

"Cross my heart."

'_Well, that's…literal.' _Sinbad thought, somewhat taken aback, before gathering his composure and holding his hand out to the goddess in front of him.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Eris."

The woman smiled before taking his hand with her own, slipping an item into it as she did so.

"Yes… now, you'd better get going Sinbad," she said, dissipating into smoke once more, "looks like you've got company."

"What-?" Before he could ask what she meant, the gravity of the hall faded swiftly away along with the room itself, leaving him floating through the etherium as he had been before being pulled into his exchange with Eris. This time however, his ears were met not with silence, or ethereal laughter; but with the last sound he'd heard before being pulled off his ship.

"Captain!"


	6. Chapter 6 - Credit where Credit's due

Chapter 6: Credit where credit's due

It was a wonder that Jim had been even able to find him through the thick fog of etherium – honestly, he was starting to think the damn pirate had disappeared before he had eventually spotted him.

'_Tsk - More trouble than he's worth,'_ the teen thought to himself, annoyed, before kicking his solar surfer into gear to reach the pirate.

"Captain!" He called out, getting the older man's attention as he got closer.

"Hawkins? What in the—" the pirate started.

"Would you hurry up already!" Jim shouted, leaning at an extreme angle in order to slingshot his surfer around the pirate and back to the ship without stopping, "I'm not wasting brake power on you!" He held his hand out to Sinbad, his other still holding the railing of his board as it sharply cornered around the man.

"Aye aye sir" Sinbad replied sarcastically, mock-saluting before grabbing the teens arm and flipping onto the back of the board. Although he somehow managed to land on his feet, the board was going much faster than he'd anticipated, leaving him needing to grab onto Jim for support.

"Whoa-! Where's the fire Hawkins?"

"What? Can't handle a little speed Captain?" The teen smirked, purposely going faster and careening around chunks of debris.

"I don't think the speed is the problem!" The taller man shouted, tightening his grip on Jim's shoulders as they narrowly avoided a rather large chunk of space rock.

"You should count yourself lucky, I don't normally take passengers."

"…Lucky me." The captain deadpanned, the board now doing rocket-powered loop-de-loops around the rocks in their path.

"Solar surfer off the port side!"

"It's Hawkins!"

"And the Captain!"

The clamour on the deck of the Chimera turned from panicked to joyous as the pair came into view, still manoeuvring impressively (and unnecessarily, if you asked Sinbad) around what little debris was floating into their way.

"Clear the deck!" Kale ordered, the crowd the crew had formed parting in the middle, leaving a large space for the surfer to land in as Jim kicked the brakes into gear and made a perfect descent.

The crew began to cheer again as the board touched down, Sinbad staggering off it with as much composure as he could muster before walking face-first into Kale.

"Sinbad!" The taller man smiled, holding the other at arm's length, "You alright? You look kind of green around the gills."

"…I hate solar surfers." The captain complained, rubbing his face blearily, eliciting a chuckle from his first mate. The rest of the crew weren't paying attention to the captain's groggy state; they were too distracted with commending his rescuer.

"Way to go Hawkins!"

"Where'd you learn to surf like that?!"

"Didn't know you had it in ya cabin boy!"

Jim stepped off the board, the crowd of childishly excited pirates around him causing an awkward, almost unnoticeable smile to appear on his face.

"Ah it was nothing," He said, busying himself with flipping the switch on the back of his surfer that made the sail fold away.

"Nothing? You saved the captain's _life_," Rat commented, popping into the conversation from the rigging next to Sinbad– upside-down - and gesturing at the man in question.

"The captain who is_fine_ by the way guys, but thanks so much for your concern," Sinbad said sarcastically, shoving Rat's head so that the rigging-monkey swung away from him like a pendulum, "What the hell was taking you all so long anyway?"

"Hey, you try steering properly when two of the masts are practically lying on the deck," Kale answered, giving his friend a strong pat on the back as Sinbad's eyes drifting to the aforementioned masts.

"Ah," He'd forgotten about those. "Well, normally you'd be in major trouble for wrecking my ship like that Hawkins, but since you were much more competent than any of this lot back there, I guess we'll call it even."

"Gee, thanks," Jim replied with a roll of his eyes, trying to heft his surfer off of the deck before having it lifted from his arms by a member of the crew, "Hey-!"

"Don't worry about it Hawkins, we can get this back to the cargo bay for you!" the man said happily.

"Yeah Jim, no problem," the pirate picking up the other end of his board stated with a grin.

"So how'd you learn to surf like that anyway?" another, not carrying the surfer, piped up as he nudged Jim's arm friendlily.

"Uh, I-" Jim flustered, trying to follow his board as it was taken below deck, only to find that he was being followed in turn by a number of the crew, all animatedly asking him awed questions.

'Y_ou'd think they'd never seen__somebody solar surfing before,_' He thought to himself, face turning slightly red upon realising he'd become the centre of attention, and getting dragged into lively conversation as the crew members followed him downstairs.

On deck, Sinbad stared, agape, at the doorway the majority of his crew had just followed the cabin boy through; the remaining members milling around and chattering as they attempted to clear the deck of any remaining rubble.

"Jealous, Captain?" Kale asked knowingly, folding his arms.

"What, Me? Psh, no," Sinbad snapped out of his stupor and waved an arm flippantly at his first mate, "Why would I be? It's not like I deserve a bit of recognition too for saving the ship or anything."

"You don't," the larger of the two replied matter-of-factly, "it was Jim's idea that killed that thing, _and_ his initiative that saved your ass from a Kraken corpse,"

"...Yeah, but I'm the Captain, you're meant to side with me here."

"What can I say, I prefer giving credit where it's due," the first mate grinned, raising an eyebrow.

"Well some friend you are," Sinbad pouted before turning around with a huff, heading up the stairs to take his place at the wheel, "And would you tell the guys that went below to get the hell back up here – this place is a mess!"

'_Bloody pirates,_' Jim thought as he brought another large pot of Silver's mysterious cooking to the rowdy galley table.

In any other situation, it might've been nice to be so popular. But when Jim was intending on getting the hell off the ship as soon as he could, he could be forgiven for not appreciating being kept away from his solar surfer by the seemingly endless cheery chatter of the crew.

He had thought he'd have a chance to make a break for it when Kale had called the mob back above deck to clear up the remainder of the mess their encounter with the kraken had created; but as soon as he had been about to creep over to where his surfer had been stored, Silver had appeared out of nowhere – in his usual fashion – and dragged him to the galley to help him make dinner.

'_Now who knows when I'll get another chance to get outta here?'_ He huffed as he swiped a bowl of the mystery food for himself and went to sit on a barrel in the corner of the room.

He took a look around the room at the group of people he'd gotten himself stuck with. They certainly weren't anything like the pirates he'd read about when he was a kid – the ones in his storybooks were terrifying, ruthless, and truly deadly warriors of the skies.

'_But these guys...'_ Jim considered, noting the fact that that Rat guy had managed to find a way of eating while still dangling from the low ceiling; the numerous stupid faces the group from earlier pulled at each other as they told silly stories; and the captain, sitting alongside them and laughing.

'_...Well, they're unusual, I'll give them that,_' the teen raised an eyebrow at the scene in front of him, taking a spoonful of his meal. He glanced down at it in surprise. Turned out Silver was a damn good cook.

Jim decided to quit trying to analyse the people before front of him and instead turned his focus to his food, ignoring the ever-present clamour at the table. At least, until late in the evening when the ringing sound of cutlery on glass cut through the noise, the room's attention turning to the source of the sound.

He glanced over to see Sinbad stood, glass in hand, in the middle of the galley.

'_Tch, what's he doing now?' _Jim thought irritatedly, hoping this wasn't the prelude to any more of the Captain's less favourable behaviour.

"Well guys," the man started, tossing the spoon he'd used to tap his glass over his shoulder unceremoniously, "I think we can all agree that today was pretty eventful."

'_That's one way of putting it_',' Jim commented internally.

"I've gotta say, I'm pretty impressed that we all managed to get through it in one piece – even if the ship wasn't quite so lucky," the captain continued, meandering between the rows of tables, "I know it may be tough to see the _Chimera_ looking... not-quite-it's-best," he muttered with a pained expression, a murmur of agreement running through the crew. They had done their best to clear up the deck earlier, but the Sky Kraken had really left the ship pretty beat up.

"But masts can be repaired, rigging can be fixed and wood can be repainted," Sinbad went on with confidence, strolling towards Jim's side of the galley, "What matters is that we made it. And ultimately, we have one person to thank for that," the man stopped and faced the tables in front of where Jim was perched on his barrel.

He gestured his glass towards the teen pointedly, still facing the crew in front of him, "Let's all give the cabin boy a hand shall we?"

Jim froze as the crew erupted into cheers, Sinbad turning to look at him. This was not what Jim needed, he'd drawn more than enough attention to himself today, and now even the crew members who had missed his exploits earlier had seen him, noticed him. What if they wanted to pester him like the group from before? When would he ever get a spare moment to sneak out then? His mind raced as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Not a bad first day, huh Hawkins?" he smirked, clearly finding the teen's reaction to the crew's attention amusing, before taking a drink.

"...Just, shut up," Jim replied over the noise of the crew, dragging a hand over his face.

"What? Credit where credit's due right?" The captain said casually. Jim noted Kale shaking his head exasperatedly at that comment.

"I don't need any praise from pirates," the younger muttered, glaring at the man in front of him.

"...Then don't earn any," the captain shrugged before setting down his cup and turning to face his crew. Jim stared at his back, pondering the almost-compliment.

"Now! Since that little commendation is out of the way," Sinbad adressed the pirates in front of him, "You must all be wondering where we'll be heading next," his statement was met with raucous agreement from the crew.

"Well, I know a lot of you were hoping for something of a holiday;" the ccaptain commented, hopeful expressions flickering across the crew's faces, "and after today's events I'd certainly say you've earned it-!" he continued with a grin, the crowd erupting into cheers and high-fives in front of him.

"But, that won't be happening any time soon." he finished loudly. The crew's faces fell and their cheers turned into whining.

"What?"

"But Captain-!"

"We've been working non-stop for months!"

"Hey, hey!" Sinbad shouted over the crew's protests, regaining their focus, "It's not like we're never getting a break – but trust me guys. After this trip, we might never have to do another job again," he assured them, lowering his voice conspiratorially. Jim sat forward slightly, his curiosity getting the better of him. Kale raised his eyebrows sceptically.

"Sinbad, what are you talking about?"

"The next thing on our to-do list Kale!" the captain raised his voice again happily, hopping on top of a crate before rubbing his hands together and gesturing wide with his arms, "The biggest job we've ever taken!"

"And what might that be?" the first mate questioned incredulously, folding his arms across his chest.

Sinbad looked over at his friend with what Kale knew to be his most serious of cocky grins, "The Book of Peace of course."

Jim forgot how to breathe.

The clamour of the galley raised to new, more urgent levels; the crew's shocked questions coming from all sides.

The Book of Peace? He had to be kidding. Even as reckless a guy as Sinbad wouldn't possibly-

"You heard me boys!" the Captain confirmed confidently, his voice reaching over the noise as he stepped down from his impromptu stage and headed towards the galley door, "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go set a course for Sirakyuse."


	7. Chapter 7 - Seriously

**Chapter 7 - Seriously**

_'The Book of Peace? Has he lost his mind?!_' Jim thought to himself, mind reeling from the sudden announcement. It was bad enough that he'd wound up stuck on this ship – there was no way he could let himself get tangled up in treason to boot!

Dragging his eyes away from the doorway the all-too nonchalant Captain had just strutted out of, he saw that the rest of the galley's occupants were having similar objections. Countless cries of "What the hell?" and "He can't be serious!" were being thrown at the first mate, who was fervently trying to lessen the clamour of the frantic crew, placing his body between them and the door so as to prevent them from chasing after and accosting the Captain. Jim had to hand it to him, even though he seemed to be just as confused about Sinbad's actions as the rest of them, he still defended the man.

After a moment's hesitation, Jim slid from his perch atop the barrel in the corner and, using the distraction provided by the rowdy crowd to his advantage, silently made his way behind Kale and out the door. He saw his opportunity and he was damn well going to take it! He marched towards the cargo bay, intent on retrieving his solar surfer and getting the hell of the ship as soon as possible. Thoughts of his goal filled his head as he made his way through the belly of the_ Chimera_.

At least, that is, until he passed the stairs which led above deck. The teen strode past them before faltering, staring intently ahead of him before passing an agitated glance at the open hatch above him.

_'"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to set a course for Sirakyuse,"'_

That's what he'd said. But was the man really planning on stealing something so valuable? Surely he knew how much disaster such an action could cause? How much danger it would put so many people in?

...Surely Kale would be the best person to try and talk the Captain out of his decision. However, it had seemed that the first mate would be occupied for quite some time trying to pacify the agitated crew. Hell, come to think of it, everybody on board seemed to have gotten caught up in the clamour in the galley. Which just left...

_"...Ohh no, this isn't any of my business,"_ Jim thought to himself, throwing his hands up and quickly turning away from the stairs and shaking his head in determination.

_"I could just up and go, right now!"_ He cast his gaze down the corridor ahead of him. The cargo bay was just a few paces away. All he had to do was take a few steps forward...

_'…,'_

"...Gahh!" The teen brought both his hands to his face and groaned, before turning on his heel to face the stairs before grabbing the railing angrily.

'If this guy really is planning something so dangerous – I'd be just as bad as him if I just walk away and let it happen.'

Sinbad stood at the helm of the _Chimera_ adjusting the map route, occasionally shifting his gaze from the ship's compass to the Etherium above as he did so before a muffled noise from the direction of the stairwell caught his attention. Breaking his focus to look at the source of the sound, a moment passed before he saw the riled figure of Hawkins stomp it's way onto the deck.

"Hawkins, out for an evening stroll?"

"Are you some kind of moron?!" The boy snapped, completely ignoring the Captain's casual jibe.

"Excuse me?" the older of the two looked offended, snapping the compass' cover closed.

"The Book of Peace!? Seriously?! Do you even know how much damage that could do!?"

"Of course I do, I'm not an idiot," Sinbad returned, resting an arm casually on the wheel in front of him and resting his chin on his hand.

"Is that so? 'Cause this dumbass plan of yours would say otherwise."

"Ouch. You know Hawkins, that kind of talk can really hurt a guy's feelings," The captain winced jokingly.

"Ugh," the younger groaned in frustration, "Would you be serious for two minutes here!"

"...," The captain paused at the helm, looking at Jim for a moment before speaking, "...Alright."

"Huh?"

"Two minutes. All-serious. Times-a-ticking Hawkins,"

Jim faltered, not sure whether to take the man's statement at face value, before realising he had little other chance of ever getting a straight answer as to the reasons behind his foolhardy plan.

"Alright, start from the beginning. What the hell made you suddenly want to go after the book in the first place?"

"A smoky creepo Goddess offered me anything I wanted – you know, endless riches, eternal glory, the hole shebang – and in return all I've got to do is take her that book."

Jim stared up at him in disbelief.

"... On a side note, pretty sure she had a crush on me."

"You said you'd be serious!"

"What? I am being serious!"

"Oh yeah? Give me one reason to believe _anything_ you just said!"

"Fine!" The captain retorted, grabbing something from the panelling in front of the steering wheel before vaulting over the railing of the helm, landing on the deck and striding over to the cabin boy.

"What are you-"

"If I was lying," Sinbad said, defiantly holding the item in front of Jim's eyes,"then explain this."

The item in question was unlike anything Jim had seen before. It was an orb made of some kind of worn golden metal, and inscribed into it were intersecting patterns and markings that Jim knew Doctor Doppler would have a field day poring over, ancient as they looked.

"...What is that supposed to be?" Jim asked as he reached out for it, starting to doubt just how untrue Sinbad's story actually was.

"I have no idea," The captain tossed the orb into the air and caught it, keeping it out of Jim's reach, "but hey, Miss Goddess slipped it to me before we said our goodbyes, so unless it was some kinda parting memento I'm going to assume it's important."

Jim blanched at the carefree ignorance of the man in front of him. Was he for real?

"Two minutes are almost up Hawkins," The captain jibed, pocketing the orb.

"Okay okay," Jim shook his head, attempting to bring order to his thoughts, "let's pretend I believe this whole story of yours – which I don't -" he paused, "...Why would you agree to take something that could hurt so many people? Don't you care about anyone but yourself?"

The older man stared at him for a second, seemingly debating his reply.

"...Do you?"

"What?" Jim replied, taken aback.

"Do you have people out there that you care about?" Sinbad asked, gesturing widely with his arms, "People that you'd want to protect?"

Thoughts of the Benbow flashed through Jim's mind, of his Mother, of Dr Doppler. He hesitated.

"Of course."

"Well sorry to surprise you Hawkins, but so do I," Sinbad snapped, "The only difference is that the people I care about are all right here on this ship. And I'm sorry to disappoint you, but they'll always come first. If we bring that Goddess the Book, the reward is going to be bigger and better than any treasure we've found in the past – we could retire! Never have to pillage another day in our lives!" he had become more and more animated as he spoke, but he now adopted a more serious tone, "...As long as I can do what's best for my crew... frankly I couldn't give a damn about anyone else."

"...You can't mean that." Jim responded quietly. Sure, that may have sounded all well and good; but surely the amount of people who could get hurt outweighed the happiness of his crew?

"Try me," Sinbad stated sharply, meeting Jim's eyes with his own clear ones. In that moment Jim could see just how determined the man was to see his plan through. He saw the complete disregard for the people who may be affected, or those who may stand in his way. He saw his resolve to do his best for the people he cared about.

In that moment, Jim's resentment for Sinbad and his reckless plan was overshadowed by a flicker of understanding. And while he couldn't forgive the captain's disregard for the innocent people he was surely about to put in harms way, he couldn't argue with his reasons. If he were in the other man's place, he knew he wouldn't pass up the chance to make his loved ones' lives better.

The two stood in silence for a time, neither daring to break the tension their conversation had built up.

"...Two minutes are up Hawkins," the captain eventually said, realising he may have said too much already. He turned away from Jim and began to make his way to the helm once again, "You'd better get back to your post."

As Jim watched the captain return to his previous task in silence, it dawned on him that he would have to put his escape plans on hold.


End file.
